Whats The Difference Between London and New York 


Comparing two of the largest and most prominent cities in the world can be pretty challenging.  This isn't just comparing apples to oranges.  A better comparison might be a five layer apple crumb cake with a cinnamon garnish to orange juice made from hand-picked, heirloom oranges.  Such gigantic metropolises can be hard to contrast against each other, but here are a few of the major differences that tourists will notice.

New York is One City, While London is Several Cities: New York is a single city, split up into different counties and boroughs.  Whether you are in Manhattan or Brooklyn, however, you are in New York.  This gives the various areas of New York a distinct feel, while still having its own communal identity.   Westminster, by comparison, is both part of London and a city in of itself.  This leads to a more noticeable shift in the culture of its citizens, where New York feels like many shades of the same culture.

The Cab Drivers Are Very Knowledgeable About How to Get Around: London has a testing system, known by the ominous name of The Knowledge, that makes sure that all of their licensed taxi drivers know their way around and know it well.  This may seem second nature in the world of GPS and satellite navigation, but The Knowledge test predates that technology and pays no mind to it..  London cabbies have to learn how to get you where you need to go, even when you don't know the exact street address.  As such, expect taxi services in London to be apt and professional.

The Cost of Living is slightly higher (most of the time): Certain goods and services are more expensive in the UK than elsewhere.  A good example is over the counter remedies like ibuprofen.  These can't be sold in the large bottles that we buy in the USA, so you may consider buying certain things for your trip before you get there.  On the other hand, many technological luxury items are much cheaper.  Cell phones and laptops can often be considerably less expensive, so consider buying travel gadgets after you get there.  Just to be clear, this isn't cheaper in fell off the truck way.  Retail prices for most tech just average out to be cheaper in London.  Make sure you check the price for getting a US standard power adapter before you make your final purchase.

The Traffic is...just as bad, but the Mass Transit is Much Better: Be prepare to see just as much congestion and traffic as New York, though perhaps on a slightly smaller scale.  The up side is that the mass transportation systems are pretty solid here.  As we talked about earlier, the cabbies are rigorously tested.  The London Underground and the London Over ground are extensive networks that can get you from place to place quickly.  Don't rent a car is you're only traveling around London, as it's not as convenient as you'd think.

Different Outlets:  This difference applies to the countries involved, rather than they cities, but just be aware that the UK uses an entirely different standard for electrical outlets.  Tourists from either country are going to need to buy adapters in order to make their electrical devices work while abroad.



